Highlights
- Leeds United may now lose a first-team squad member in January.
- Young players like Gelhardt, Cresswell, and Hjelde could also be sent out on loan to gain more experience.
- Real Betis are interested in bringing a more senior figure in the squad to La Liga.
Leeds United could be set to lose one of their senior squad members next year, with a report revealing that he’s emerged as a target for a club overseas and is keen to leave.
Which players are leaving Leeds in 2024?
According to Daniel Farke during his latest press conference, he’s not expecting there to be any major change during the upcoming window, as he confirmed that he hopes to keep the majority of his squad as it is for the second half of the season in the Championship.
However, The Express have suggested that players like Joe Gelhardt, Charlie Cresswell and Leo Hjelde could all be sent out on loan in order to increase their experience and game time, and they might not be the only ones heading for the exit door.
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The Whites will consider an exit for good once he returns from a loan spell.
Back in 2021, Whites left-back Junior Firpo first joined the club from Barcelona, and he’s been a regular feature of the first-team during the last two years, but it’s fair to say that he’s now dropped significantly low down in the manager’s pecking order at Elland Road.
The former Dominican Republic international has made just one start and the same number of substitute appearances in the league since the start of the current campaign (WhoScored – Firpo statistics), and the 27-year-old’s situation has alerted one of his former clubs that he could be available for transfer.
Real Betis interested in Junior Firpo
According to French outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), Real Betis are keen to sign Firpo in January. The Leeds defender “is a target” for the La Liga outfit, though it’s believed that a loan would initially be the most likely outcome due to the amount it would cost to secure his services permanently.
The Whites star “wants to leave” the club and therefore could be open to the switch, so this may be one to keep a close eye on in the near future.
At Leeds, Firpo currently ranks as Farke’s 12th best-performing player out of 29 squad members overall (WhoScored – Leeds statistics), showing how little of an impact he’s been able to make when handed the rare opportunity to showcase his talent in West Yorkshire.
Sponsored by Nike, the left-footed ace has also failed to record any goals or assists so far this season, so he’s not proven capable of making a positive impression in the final third alongside his usual position in the backline (Transfermarkt – Firpo statistics).
Furthermore, Santo Domingo’s native pockets £60k-per-week which makes him the second-highest earner on the books behind Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford, who both receive £70k-per-week (Leeds salaries), so 49ers chiefs could free up their wage bill by getting him off the books and using the extra cash to generate funds for new signings.
Slammed by journalist Josh Bunting, Firpo is a “poor” player and he clearly isn’t doing enough to force his way into the starting line-up right now, so a loan move appears to be the best option for both parties, before returning in the summer to make a permanent decision regarding his long-term future.
